Jimmy Carter (39th president) will join the ranks when he turns 90 on Oct. 1.

On average, presidents live longer than other men of their time despite the stress of the job. According to this article in the Journal of the American Medical Association, this is because of two main factors. First, presidents have endured their “perilous early years” before they become president. The average age at inauguration is 55.1. Second, presidents often were more educated, wealthier and had access to the best medical care. Read More »

About The Numbers

The Wall Street Journal examines numbers in the news, business and politics. Some numbers are flat-out wrong or biased, while others are valid and help us make informed decisions. We tell the stories behind the stats in occasional updates on this blog.